§ Mr. GalbraithTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will take steps to make available, on the same basis as in Scotland, information relating to the cost of domiciliary consultants in the National Health Service; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. NewtonThe costs of domiciliary consultations are not currently available. However, from the statistics collected by the Department, an estimate of the cost can be made. The number of domiciliary consultations undertaken in England and Wales in the 12 months ended 30 September 1986 was 387,394. At present rates the cost in a full year is estimated to be about £13 million.
Following the sixth report of the steering group on health services information (the Körner committee), from 1988–89 arrangements have been made for the total cost of health authorities' expenditure on domiciliary visits by consultants to be identified separately in their annual accounts.